Team Productivity Issues

[DonRotolo]

Set clear expectations for performance, make sure they are objectively measureable and time-bound and if they do not meet those expectations they are off the team. Buh-bye.

The acronym is SMART
Specific: What exactly is to be done
Measureable: how to define success
Achieveable: The person has the skills/tools/etc to do it
Relevant: How it contributes to the overall operation
Time-bound: When it will be done or checked

Example: Fabricate the arm by cutting the aluminum tubing to plan and finishing so there are no rough edges. Complete this by the end of the day, and give the completed pieces to Tom.

Example: Design the arm by creating a plan with enough information so someone can fabricate it. The design file must be given to Jason by Thursday 6 pm. Include a bill of materials and sources for anything we don't have in the stockroom. Show your calculations for the lifting strength.

Example: Complete the Chairman's application by 2 pm on Thursday the 24th, and e-mail it as a Word document to Coach Jones at that time.

[ttldomination]

Here's my input.

1. I agree with some of the others, that people tend to work better when they feel that they are responsible for a certain part of the robot. Not only robot, but sponsorships, volunteer, community outreach. When team members feel like they don't mean much, they tend to slack off. kinda like communism.

2. Work with the person's interest. Why put a non programmer on the programming team? If someone is interested in building, then he/she should build, not do something else. Same thing for chairman's, spirit, PR, etc.

3. Break people up. If you notice that two people are starting to joke around, break them up. Large groups do have fun, but people are more focused in smaller groups. So, get people working together, but in smaller groups.

4. Maybe the inevitable, sometimes, it is necessary to ask people to leave. There has been many a times, when the programmers have work, and the builders show up and goof off. Thus, if someone is not needed, or if someone's not taking the initiative to work, ask them to leave. It may be harsh, but if it's necessary, it's got to be done.